Reborn
by NordicAutobotGirl
Summary: TFP AU: When the Autobots received an alert for Decepticon activity on an Alaskan area, they weren't prepared to encounter a snow-white wolf femme who tried kidnap Miko but then let her go. Who is the mysterious wolf femme? What connections do them have? And why is Miko the only one who can see her crimson markings when others cannot? Warnings for violence and langauge
1. The call from the wild

Grettings people. This story is a rewrite to my old crossover Transformers/Okami story known as _Reborn._ Same title, but contains a whole different plot with Miko as main character and Amaterasu, like in my old story, has reborn herself as a Cybertronian. However in my old story, Amaterasu was a sparkling. This time she's a full grown adult and has a mission only she can do. I promised myself to not fail this time after I'd deleted the old story for reasons I don't want tell about.

Though, I still feel uncertain if this will go better despite I've played the game countless times, and made a double check on Okami Wiki to be correct without causing a uproar, so if I make a mistake or anything's off then please tell me so I'll remember for the future. Also, sorry if any character's off their personalities. This is AU TFP on season 2. Warnings for language and violence.

PS: This is edited now.

And I hope you all enjoy this fanfic!

**I don't own Transformer Prime or Okami, Transformers belongs to Hasbro and Okami Capcom.**

* * *

**Chapter 1 – The call from the wild**

* * *

_There are many stories. Stories you get to listen when you were very little. Every story has a theme to tell, like a message you soon understands what it really means when you get old enough. I can remember every beginning of every story I'd listened and every end every story ended. Happy, sad and even tragic endings… Though there's a story that has captured me over since I was very little girl, and I remember it clearly like I'd heard it yesterday for the first time in my life. You might wonder what I'm talking about. Actually, this story isn't just an ordinary story. Mom said this a long time ago._

'_It began as history. History then became legend. And legend became myth. Today, it is a forgotten story that nobody remembers, nor will ever know. Only you will remember and you will carry it with you.'_

_Mom was right about it. This story I'm going to tell for you have been carried through generations within my family. From my great-grandmother inherited from her mother, as my mother inherited from grandmother, and as I inherited it from mom. However, the story is not allowed to be told for others outside my family. Well, it's a risk I have to take. So I'll tell now._

_In the beginning, our country was in the iron grip of the darkness. Plagued by pure evil forces that widespread all over the lands of Nippon, many demons and monsters spread everywhere all over and caused much harm for the ancestors._

_But when there was darkness, there was a light. The light was the divine light of Amaterasu, the Sun goddess, in a shape of a pure white wolf that walked among humans._

_She was the one who fought back against the evil forces of the darkness. The one who made the people of Nippon believe in the Gods, and brought hope back. No matter how pure evil the worst demons were, she defeated them. No matter the lands were plagued by the darkness, she brought light and restored the balance of life again. There were many challenges she had to stop the demons from harming humans and break the balance… but the greatest challenge she ever stand against was the darkest hour in Nippon's history. The day of the total eclipse._

_Amaterasu fought against Yami, the ruler of all evil beings, inside the Ark of Yamato. The fight wasn't anything she had ever fought before. It was said that Amaterasu lost her powers as Yami stole them from her. But she fought bravely to gain the powers of Gods again, only to lose them again. She was weakest at the point as Yami was strongest. It wasn't looking good until a voice came to her in the total darkness._

_The voice was Issun, her trusted follower and friend. The wandering artist, who spread the word of the Gods among the humans of Nippon, and soon, they began pray for her and sent away their prayers. Not only had the praying lights brought strong back, the lights also made her to transform into Shiranui. With the new gain strength and the powers of the Gods back, she finally defeated Yami and he vanished for good, never meant to return again…_

_After the battle, the Ark of Yamato headed towards the Celestial Plains. And ever since then, Amaterasu has never returned. As time pass through ages, the memories of the Gods slowly faded and eventually disappeared out from the humans._

_I'm afraid to say this but this is the end of the story._

* * *

The day was reaching into afternoon. It was a Friday in late May month. The mountains spread out their shadows over the desert landscape as the sun brightened its strong sunlight, the heat were unpleasant as there was a clear, blue sky. The heat burned above the surface of the sandy ground when a wind blew, sweeping the dry sand. The drought had lasted longer than thought, and any promise for rain remained like a small promise that will eventually come soon or later. Inside the Autobot Headquarters was cool, good enough for the kids who got exhausted by the heat and after a long school day.

Miko was totally restless throughout the day. Couldn't think properly, couldn't hold stay still without starting cause irritation to the other students and teachers. With a grumpy sigh, she stared through the car window with half-closed eyes as she sunk on the passage seat inside the green terrain truck. The landscape became blurry as she felt a sudden need for sleep. Slowly she closed her eyes whole, and let her dreams take over her mind that took her far away.

But the sleep lasted not long before the voice of Bulkhead forced her to come back into reality. "What now Bulkhead…?" She muttered irritated by being disturbed as Miko jumped out from the green terrain truck that transformed up into Bulkhead's real form.

"What's wrong, Miko?" Bulkhead asked, trying to cheer his partner up as he looked down at the dazed human, who walked unstable with swinging legs. "Having a bad day I guess?"

Miko nodded with a crooked smile, she looked completely exhausted. "Yes Bulkhead. The teachers got mad on me because I got crazy today. Couldn't hold still..." She muttered.

"Aha, I get it. You couldn't stay still without getting – (He lifted up a finger and spin it at side of his helm, whistling a cuckoo's call) – overactive?"

"Completely overactive; yes. I don't understand why other people pay attention on me when I am like that?"

"Because they think you got insane."

It was Rafael who spoke. Miko gazed at him annoyed. "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say… at least I'm not so insane like Megatron," she muttered for herself as she watched Rafael walked upstairs to the Jack, who had already jumped on the couch. _I'll show you you're wrong, _she thought.

But when she was about to say more, she dropped the words as the alert suddenly alarmed the base. The Autobots gathered at the monitors as Ratchet found what the alert was about: Decepticons. Ten signatures were on the main monitor, located on an isolated Alaskan area. Optimus turned around to face his fellow comrades.

"Arcee, Bulkhead," Optimus commanded, heading to the activated GroundBridge. "You two come with me."

However… none of them, either Ratchet, Bumblebee, Smokescreen or the boys noticed anything when Miko shaped her plan.

_If I follow them and witness the fight, then Raf has something to say about that, _she thought, looked after the other Autobots, Jack and Rafael before she sneaked after Bulkhead like a shadow. Just moments before Ratchet deactivated the Bridge she took her chance as she ran towards the glowing tunnel and disappeared into the light.

* * *

The huge conifer trees stood like think, pointed pillar close each other when Miko were outside from the portal that closed right behind her. The ground was full covered with many different sorts of flora. It felt watery and muddy below her feet. The air was fresh, fresher than she thought. The landscape was outstanding with huge mountains that rise against the heaven above, lakes that reflected like flat mirrors and thick forests that covered the landscape for many miles.

In an instant second, Miko heard voices from the Autobots which they appeared to be far from her in front. Without hesitation, she ran after the voices that were slowly but safely fading into the silence. She must hurry if she's going to see whatever will happen next. She just cannot let them start the fight without her. She _must _witness it. It took more than five minutes before Miko finally spotted the Autobots, who headed through the forest, passing by an area filled with large cliffs tearing through the ground on a hill.

_I can hide behind those rocks over there,_ Miko thought excited, her exhausting earlier had totally disappeared with refresh energy. She was now only more than one kilometer from the Autobots. She was surprised that none of them had noticed her, nor Ratchet suddenly alerted Optimus that one of the children had gone missing from base. Though, knowing soon or later they will find out. With sharp ears, she listened with precision on Optimus and his comrades as they hide behind the cliffs.

"They haven't detected us yet," Arcee was first to speak, low like a whisper, and she was right. Further from the group, a Decepticon group of ten was scouting around a field that lay below the hill. The group appeared unaware for the incoming group that sneaked down from the cliffs. Miko was lying on her stomach at a flat rock that gave her a clear view over the field when something captured her attention. A sound. It didn't come from the Bots, and it sounded more like panting breaths, and then it changed into growling. She lifted her head to see, and her eyes became whole wide what she saw.

It was a wolf, but not an ordinary wolf as Miko thought. Standing on a huge cliff that stood higher than the rest, the wolf was huge like Arcee in height, but twice her size on the body length. It looked very odd to be a Cybertronian, but when she made a careful inspection it turned out nothing she'd imagined on. It appeared to be a Cyborg-like machine because the front legs and back legs (except the thighs on the back legs were metal made), the ears and the straight tail with its black tip were organic. The front legs had expanded fur that stretched up upon its shoulders.

It was the fur that made Miko's jaw to drop. It was so snow white, so bright and pure like the whitest snow she had ever imagined on. It glittered by the sun like snow. The fur covered the whole neck (it looked more like a mane because of the fur's thickness), all over the spine, around the hips, three rips on both sides of the chest and the tail with its black tip.

It looked angry when she saw the large fangs stick out as the wolf snarled up its lips, the ice-blue optics burning in rage. Miko then noticed something. The wolf had also crimson markings that sat across the body.

"Who're you?" She mistakenly spoke up but covered her mouth in reaction, instantly lying down again on her stomach like a soldier that nearly got discovered by the enemy.

The wolf turned the head to the direction there the human girl was lying, growling with back pointed ears. It had crimson markings on its head. However, the wolf had other thoughts to do. It shaped a hideous smile on its lips, revealing the teeth. Miko thought she heard a deep growl that vibrated deep within the throat. A wave of shivering nerves spread over her spine, so scared hadn't she been before. The Autobots… they hadn't seen the wolf yet. Think if the wolf will strike them from behind...

She realized she must do something, so Miko flew up on her slim legs. But as she was up on her legs, the wolf was gone. Puzzled, she stood still like a lost child who came away from its parents. _Where did you go, beast?,_she mentally asked, frowned worried. Looking after it gave no result. The wolf was completely gone… or was it?

Then without any warning, a howl broke the fragile silence. Miko turned around to face the view over the field as she saw the snow-white beast galloped down towards the Autobots. She shouted after them, only to be too late when it leaped in mid-air against the surprised Autobot commander, who just managed to turn around behind. But he was not the target.

Instead, the wolf pushed him with its front paws so he fell on his back against a cliff while it jumped in the air with a volt before landing again. Arcee and Bulkhead chased after, though it was twice faster than they were. The wolf was heading towards the Decepticons who had detected they've got company. From her standing point, Miko was able to see the fight and witnessed it whole.

The wolf was incredibly fast and swiftly. She was so amazed to see how the Decepticons failed killing it as it attacked with bite and strike attacks and dodged. She felt her jaw drop down as she witnessed how the wolf attacked against a Decepticon's head with a leap strike, bit on it and then made a spin so it broke the neck gear, twisting the damaged face a full turn like an owl.

It back-looped in the air with three volts and it landed on the ground. Arcee was first to reach the wolf and shot instantly. The shot hit the right shoulder, forcing the wolf to cry out in pain. It lifted up its right paw, holding it up like it had broken the bone. Balancing on three legs, the wolf growled towards Arcee. Just in time, Optimus and Bulkhead came on place with their guns loaded to shoot anytime.

Miko thought on that moment the wolf was losing, but then got surprised when she watched the wolf retreated and fled into the forests. Despite the bleeding shot wound on the shoulder, it was still quicker than the bots.

"Wooow…" She said a long 'wow' that felt like an echo when it hit her. The markings… they looked similar. "Wait a minute, the markings… why do I recognize them?"

Adrenaline triggered up through her blood as Miko began to run, not to the Autobots but took another direction that led her far from them and disappeared into the forests.

* * *

Optimus was kneeling down, to investigate the fresh trace of Energon from the fleeing wolf. He touched the Energon with two of his digits. The Energon wasn't the ordinary one. This one was red. He made a thoughtful frown, became silent for a moment before he rose up on his legs. "Well, what is it Prime?" Bulkhead asked.

"It is organic blood," Optimus answered, cleaning off the organic blood from his hand.

Bulkhead's face became puzzled with half widen optics. "Organic?"

"How's that possible?" It was Arcee who gave the question when she hurried to Prime's side surprised over his answer. "But that thing is a Cybertronian."

"I don't know yet, Arcee. We need take a simple with this and take it back to Ratchet so he can investigate it." Optimus answered. Bulkhead said nothing, he'd shot his gaze over the tracks that disappeared behind the trees.

Just then they got interrupted by the anxious voice of Ratchet that contacted Optimus through the com-link.

_::Optimus, do you copy?::_

_::Loud and clear. What is it?::_

_::Miko is missing!::_

Bulkhead couldn't believe it once he heard that. Miko isn't on base? "That's impossible!" He raised his voice. The Autobot commander shot a daggered gaze on him.

_::Have you searched everywhere?::_

_::Yes, yes, yes I did for Primus' sake, Optimus! Everywhere in the whole base! She is not here!::_

Instead asking more, Optimus cut off the com-link and turned to the Ex-wrecker. "She must have followed us without any of us noticed."

"Then let's split up then," Bulkhead said. "We gotta find her before the night settles in. And with that wolf out there, I rather won't let that thing dare to attack her."

The mechs didn't notice Arcee, who was taking a close look on the large wolf tracks. Something made the azure blue femme become extremely silent. Her face frowned, her spark punting hard under the protected spark chamber. Biting her under lip plate, Arcee rose up on her legs and watched through the trees, muttering in Cybertronian. Then she turned around and headed back to her commander.

"We better hurry up." she stared at him as he looked down, the face plates stoic and serious. If she'd followed them, then she can't be far from them. But there are risks that the human girl's got lost within the forests. They must find her before night settles upon them.

_::Ratchet, send Bumblebee and Smokescreen here. We need reinforcement. I think Miko must have followed us and I fear she might be lost out here:: _Optimus contacted back to base for request for reinforcement. Seconds later the glowing light of the GroundBridge opened up in front of the team and both Bumblebee and Smokescreen jumped out before it closed behind them. "Autobots, split up. If anyone of us finds her, contact Ratchet immediately so he can bridge back Miko." He then commanded over his team. Without asking twice or needed be told twice, they took each direction.

* * *

**Later on the night**

The last rays of sunlight died behind the mountains. The sky was clear and full with stars with the bright full moon, which Miko found it as a small comfort as she tried to find a hidden place to sleep for the night. She regretted everything. From foolishly followed after to then run away from the others, and that made her feeling hesitated and doubtful. Why was she such a fool to do such a ridiculous thing? Rafael was right about her; she was crazy enough to dare follow after the bots when she shouldn't. An idiot who thought nothing bad will happen.

_You're a bad girl, Miko! You dared to follow them without thinking at all!, _Miko cursed herself and slapped right at her cheek. She deserved be punished. _Why don't you ever think!?_

She slapped again, this time on the other cheek, then she slapped again and again. She took each slap harder every time until her cheeks were very red by blood, aching in burning pain which told her to stop. The cold air cooled the burning pain and it made her feel frozen, the cold ate through the flesh and bones all over her body, worst on her limps and hands.

"I need to focus. I must hide and wait until they find me…" She muttered angry as she went through the darkness, shivering by the cold.

One of the weaknesses she soon discovered was the human eye was never made for darkness. Despite the very bright moon light, she couldn't see what was in front of her, nor separate what were a tree, bush, and rock in front of her. Cursing herself, the girl stopped dead on her tracks. Also, her hearing was not a useful proof either. All she can trust was the sense of touch. Everything she touched guided her through the darkness.

Suddenly, Miko heard something. It sounded distant like an echo. A howl echoed nearby. It froze her up in fear as she heard more howling. Wolves. She had completely forgotten that she's on an unforgiven and inhospitable wilderness there you're either the hunter or the hunted one.

_Be tough or die out. _

That's the rule of survival. Worse, she's a human, and humans are weak victims for dangerous predators. Just then, her senses were on high alert, triggering her to act like an animal. As Miko reached out her hands to touch in front of her, she started to run.

Being blind in darkness, she harmed herself as she kept running through bushes, stumbled over roots, fallen branches or rocks. Her clothes got many rips and her skin got small scratch wounds. The howling sounds were coming faster than she can think on. By then, she accidently knocked right on a thick tree at her face. Miko fell down, with dancing stars around her head and hit head against a small rock.

It caused not a severe damage but it did cause an instant unconsciousness.

* * *

The darkness was no problem for me. My optics could see everything without any need for light in total darkness. My audio reflectors capture every sound, from the smallest heartbeat to the most far distant sound for many miles. And my olfactory sensor, my most used sensor, can detect and tell every single smell, even able to separate which one and how old or how far distant it is.

I trust all my sensors. It's important if you have useful sensors for your own survival, which I learned from the hardest way I can remember. Things have become tough these days. As a nomad, I am constantly on the move and have never been a resident. I don't stay on the same place, neither have I returned to the same place. Every day I travel on many miles without a stop.

My chest had never felt so heavy before in my life, I'd never taken so fast panting breaths and that along made me feel completely exhausted. I felt I would collapse any minute if I'd kept continuing my galloping. The burning pain made things not as pleasant for me as I struggled forward. I hadn't taken a look at it yet. It's too risky. I must find a safe place. I can still hear the distant calls, even if I'm as good as many kilometers far away from them, the calls sounded like they're never far behind from me.

Finally, after galloping many kilometers injured, I gave up at last. But not before I rose up my paws against a tall conifer tree in attempt to push it down, then I let my grip go by the exhaustion and I fell down as my body shifted into my true form. Standing on all four limps, I slowly rose up on my digitigrade legs and shot my gaze over the landscape with heavy breaths. The full moon was a beauty I'd always loved to watch. Every time it was up, I felt I wasn't alone in the darkness. It also made me feel like a beauty by the bright light with my glittering fur.

I stared on the moon, humming a melody I'd used to hum when the pain got me reminded. I raised my left hand to touch behind my wounded shoulder, grunting by the burning pain once I'd touched it. Fortunately and luckily for me, the wound was small surface wound. It will heal itself eventually. Once again, I got lucky to avoid severe damages. Severe damages like broken limps, missing claws or damaged fangs are every predator's worst nightmare.

I felt how my spark punted much under my chassis, punting so fast that I thought it will never calm down. Something wasn't right with me. I felt a feeling that I hadn't experienced before. It was so sudden that I didn't react in time. It came only after I've got shot and my instincts screamed to retreat. But now when I was thinking, I started to recognize it. However, I wasn't sure if I _remember _it.

My thoughts got interrupted when my olfactory sensor detected a smell. It was blood, but it didn't come from a wounded animal. It was human blood. My wolf ears pointed back in tension as I suddenly remembered the human that hide behind the cliffs earlier when I detected a human scent back then.

Is he or she lost, here in this _unforgiven_ wilderness?

There's no way the human will survive the night, now when predators are up for the hunt. The darkness gives an advance for them; unlike humans, they appreciate darkness, using it as a protected cloak. The smell was fresh, meaning he or she must get harmed not long time ago. But it had been carried by the wind, which indicated its miles away. Then I heard the distant echoes of howling wolves. Their location are fifty to hundred kilometers east-south.

The human cannot stand against a pack of wolves. A human rather choose to run from a predator than fight back. A deadly mistake. I must find the human before any predator will sense the smell of blood and follow straight after. I started to growl furiously, snarled up my lips and revealed my fangs. Then I howled out my roar. It can be heard for many miles away. The more furious my roar is, the more dangerous I'll become. I ran forward, leapt up in air and transformed back to my wolf mode and galloped as fast as I can.

* * *

Miko remembered nothing what happened to her or where she was. What she only knew was a nasty pain that ached and burned inside her head. She scratched her head to found how wet it was on the side there the pain was. Because of the darkness, she couldn't see what it was on her hand so Miko licked her hand. To her very shock, it was blood. Rising too quickly up, she nearly fell by the dizziness that made her feeling sorely sick.

_Where am I?, _Only to think wasn't pleasant for the dizzy and confused girl, who went forward unsteady.

Everything were spinning around, there was no shadows or light, just a complete darkness that had infused her mind. Miko couldn't see, nor was hearing or even sensing what's around her because of the sick dizziness. She breathed heavily as she felt sorely acid reflux and the heartburn made her instantly wanting to throw up. Then she bowed down and threw up all from her stomach. With the awful taste inside her mouth, along with the burning pain, was far enough for her. Suddenly a rustling sound captured her attention, then a sound from a snapped branch on the ground from another direction.

"Who's there?" Miko asked with a shaken tone in fear, holding her breath. No response.

Then… she thought she heard something. It was steps. However, it was more than just one which Miko soon found out as the sounds were approaching closer and closer against her will. She swung around to see who was there but could not because of the darkness. She didn't see the shadows that were sneaking around her silently. By the time her eyes were getting used for the darkness, she saw glimpses.

But these weren't animals. These were nothing else but dangerous creatures from the old past: Imp demons. One of Miko's true fears came true. Facing demons was something no human had ever faced again since they mysteriously disappeared centuries ago.

A group of three Green imps with their small flutes, a Red imp with its shamisen, and the tall Black imp, which must be the leader of the group, surrounded Miko like she's their prey. The monkey-like demons with their katakana masks, except the Black imp who had its katakana mark at face, made many strange monkey sounds Miko wasn't familiar with; rumbling, squeaking, yelping, peeping, and irritating screeching at same time. She felt how badly she wanted to scream her cry for help. But she didn't.

Instead Miko held frozen on her tracks and remained silent as the imps were overexcited to find a human prey. She checked over the corners of her head when the leader imp suddenly charged against her with a furious roar. It punched right below her chest so hard that she lost all air as she was tossed into mid-air and landed against the ground. A sharp pain spread all over her back, burning like knives slashing through her bones.

* * *

A sharp scream in pain, and it came from the human.

_No, no! Hang on, human!, _I mentally begged as I hurried up my speed, galloping through the forests and jumped over obstacles. I released another furious howl as my olfactory sensor detected more human blood and unfamiliar scents that I've never encountered before. Whatever the unfamiliar scents were, they weren't friendly at all.

I usually use the strategy to sneak my preys with caution; better be the sneaky predator than be the one who strikes instantly without a hunting plan, and risking injuries or losing the prey are easier. But this time I got to strike instantly. No hiding or sneaking, but an instant strike without forewarning.

The weird sounds that I picked up were nothing I'd heard before, but they same time I somehow recognized them. Something from my past… but I can't remember if I'd heard them or not before. Still it awake strong reactions inside me. I howled furiously as I prepared my claws and fangs to strike. I was approaching closer when I spotted shadows within my night vision inside my optics, and I leaped up in mid-air on charge.

Those monkey-like creatures weren't anything I'd encountered. Beasts with music instruments, and masks over their faces expect that black, large one. And the lying female human on the ground, wounded with ripped clothes and ripped scratch marks on her skin, was the black one's target.

I charged against the black one. It managed to turn around and face me when I grabbed with my jaws around its waist, tossed it up, shaking and crossing it like a ragdoll. I heard how the bones broke, paralyzing it so the monkey-like beast will face a slow, painful death as the nerve system will fail. I then threw it on the ground, watching how the body shook violently with very tensed jerks until it finally stopped moving.

The smaller green ones and the red one got frightened by the dead body, then they took charge against me as the green ones jumped over my back and the red one attacked front of me. I transformed up into my true form, grabbed the green monkeys and threw them off my back. Then took charged against the red monkey, used my claws to slash its body into two.

The remaining three monkeys were too easy to defeat; I just grab each one of them, broke their spines off and threw them away. The bodies lay scattered around me, broken and ripped ones. I snarled disgusted when I laid my focus on the human, who was lying unmovable. I hurried, standing on my four limps so the human was just below my face plates. I got shocked to see the human was just a child, and worse that she was unconscious.

_She must've got a massive blow on the head. If left it untreated… there's no way she'll survive tonight_, I thought as I found a small but quite severe head injury on the head when I got interrupt.

"**Miko!**"

I moved my optics up. My ears were straight pointed up as I located the call. It came not far from us, and I recognized the voices. Seconds later, the azure blue, the large, green and finally the red-blue bots came out from nowhere, with their guns ready to shoot anytime and anywhere and I just froze up in fear. I must retreat again. I got to because I cannot risk myself getting shot after that experience. But I can neither leave the human behind…

"You… you will _not _take her with your!" I snarled up my fangs and back pointed ears as I transformed into my wolf form. I then grabbed as carefully I ever did the human with my jaws, making sure my fangs will not hurt her and ran as fast I can from the bots. They were shooting after me, and I listened how desperate they were as they screamed.

* * *

"**Miko!**" Bulkhead screamed after his partner as he watched in terror on the snow-white Cybertronian which held Miko in its jaws, galloping far too fast than he can catch up. Arcee and Optimus ran right after the wolf, kept shooting but missed every chance to hit the wolf. It was too fast even for them. Still they refused to give up.

"I'll take the beast down!" Arcee shouted as she jumped up in the air, made three volts and transformed into her vehicle mode.

"**Arcee!**" Optimus called, but by then she was already catching after the beast.

She'd pulled all her speed up to critical points, and drove closer and closer towards the wolf. "Where are you going to take Miko, beast?!" Arcee roared. The wolf did only look after her and growled. Despite all, the wolf held the human girl extremely carefully as she was very fragile, balancing her between the fangs.

"Stay… away… from us," the wolf tried speak through its panting breaths and having Miko in its mouth made it not easy for it to speak. It used growling and mumbling sounds, yet it was clear and loud for Arcee to understand. This enemy was determined to take their human friend away from no matter the cost will be, and Arcee was determined as well to get Miko back. Accelerating more speed, Arcee was as closest she could reach when the wolf sudden turned a sharp turn and charged against her.

Too fast to prevent it from happening, the wolf leaped right at her with outstretched paws. She transformed up to her robot form as the wolf's paws pushed her down on the ground. Arcee struggled to get off, but as she did the wolf was pushing her harder on the ground as it stood over her, starring down at her. Miko hanged unconsciously and not making any signs of if she's still alive.

"Who're you, beast?" Arcee spitted her words, bowed her teeth into a growl. No response came. Only the wolf stared ice-coldly above her… when it suddenly hit her. The ice-blue optics… Arcee knew she had seen those before.

Then without any warning, the wolf suddenly got two massive arms around its chest as the Autobot commander tried lifting the wolf high from the ground. The wolf yelped out, struggling to hold Miko tight in its jaws when Optimus tried grab for her. By then the wolf had already tossed her high up into the air, seconds later transformed into its true form and hit Optimus' chest's lower plates with both elbow gears.

Then the femme slipped off his arms as she maneuvered over the tall Autobot easily, landed behind him before she leapt up on his shoulders, used all her powers from her legs to jump up and grabbed Miko in mid-air. All that happened less than a minute. The wolf femme landed, rolled over the ground and stand up on three limps, she held the human on the left hand close to the chest plates. By then Bulkhead came just in time, with loaded guns and ready for shooting.

It was then the Autobots realized this femme was clearly not an ordinary Cybertronian.

From the scalp of the femme's helm, fur covered all way down on the spine out to the tip of the tail, including the neck collar bone plates, the hips and three rip plates on lower chest plates. Also the lower arms were covered with extended fur, and the hands were silvery gray with sharp claws. The protoform below the armor was silvery gray with crimson neon lights lines on the stomach area and the thighs. There was a crimson Autobot symbol on the middle of the chest plates, which separated the breast plates. The white face plate was beautifully heart-shaped with high edged cheekbones, thin lip plates and a pointed chin. Optimus' optics then fixed on her ice-blue optics with the white pupils.

He pulled out his right sword which it triggered a growl from the femme, and she rose up to her right height, turning out to be a tall femme on Bumblebee's size.

"Who are you?" The Prime demanded behind his mask plate and the burning optics in determination made him more than pissed off enough. With Bulkhead and Arcee on his side, they stood ready for anything and everything. When the femme didn't answer, the Prime roared out: "Answer me and let the human go!"

"Let Miko go, your slagger!" Bulkhead too demanded. "Or you'll pay for it!"

"Put her down now!" Arcee was last one. She'd pulled her blades instead, furious like a lioness and thirst after Energon.

The femme snarled up her lips to show her fangs when she suddenly turned away and transformed into its wolf form again, with Miko again in its mouth. The Autobots started to run after her.

_::Smokescreen, Bumblebee! Do you copy?::_ Optimus yelled through his com-link.

_::Smokescreen here. Have you found Miko?:: _He answered.

_::She's taken by the wolf, and she's too fast to catch up. You and Bumblebee are the only ones who can catch up. Whatever you do, don't shot on the head!::_

_::Yes sir!::_

After Optimus cut off the com-link, he and his team tried their best to catch up and transformed into their vehicle modes and drove like hell. But by then the wolf femme was already far gone of their sight.

* * *

The adrenaline within my Energon veins pumped hard as I ran, jumped and dodged over obstacles like fallen trees, large rocks, and stream strong rivers while as gently I can ever be carrying the human without crossing her when my audio reflectors suddenly captured the roaring sound from racer engines. But when I tried to locate where the sounds came from, I suddenly got a hard blow from the side right at my chassis. It happened so fast and the hit was so hard that I lost my grip on the ground, swung in rolls above the ground and finally landed with all four limps.

"You let Miko go!" A white, blue and red young mech shouted. I stared at him as another vehicle, a yellow muscle car, came and transformed up. However this mech didn't speak but used chirps and beeps which I suddenly recognized him.

"(Let her go, beast!)" The yellow scout yelled through his chirps and beeps. My optics got whole wide open, and my wolf ears stood pointed up as I bowed my snort down and laid the human on the ground. I knew him, and I just couldn't believe.

But then all suddenly the white mech ran towards me with a roar, which he should've not really. I used all my powers to leap forward in mid-air against him, as I stretched out my paws to push him backwards and attacked on his shoulder. We both fall backwards, and it ended up with a roll that we rolled over each other while struggling to free from each other.

I held my jaws on his shoulder, and the mech screamed in pain while we rolled without an end until I stopped the rolling as I pushed him against the ground. I stood over him furious as I showed my teeth just above his face plate, growling loud as my fur stood high and my tail straight up. His face plate was in fear, shaking lips plates and wide open optics that showed clear about his fear to face death.

He suddenly grasped my fur, but not enough to drag me off. But it lasted not long before I suddenly felt a horrible, burning pain on my neck as somebody dragged my neck up like a cat. I screamed out in pain as I felt being lift up in the air and tossed up. I failed to land on my four limps, so I received a hard blow against my back and cried out in pain.

It was the yellow scout who did it. I transformed back in my real form, trying to stand up on unsteady legs and panted heavy as I shot my daggered gaze at them before I ran back to the lying human.

By then we got company when the other three came out of nowhere.

* * *

"Hold your fire!" Optimus demanded as he and his team held their position, close to each other with their loaded guns at the wolf femme who took up Miko on her hands.

A pause took over between them. The silence was dreadful for the Autobots as they were balancing on a thin tread. None of them moved a muscle, nor moved their optics from each other. But then unexpectedly the femme knelt down and put gently Miko down. Her face plate had a reluctant expression, filled with anger that she was forced to make a decision. Either run with the human and risk being the hunted one. Or leave it behind and run as fast as can.

"I may be an Autobot, but I don't belong to your side anymore, neither will I return…" was the only answer the wolf femme spoken as transformed into its wolf form and retreated. The words sounded deep in anger, like she was seeking after vengeance.

Immediately after the wolf was completely off their sight, the ex-wrecker ran towards his partner, who was lying lifeless. He'd lifted her up in his large hands when he suddenly realized that she wasn't breathing. Worse, the pulse through her neck vein was weak, indicating she's hanging on a very thin line between life and death and it was only a matter of time before she will die. Now it was a race against the clock.

"Miko's not breathing!" he screamed with panic. Immediately, his commander contacted base for an immediate bridge back. And it took not long before the glowing portal opened up. The green, large ex-wrecker was first to run through the portal. Bumblebee and Smokescreen rushed after him too. But when Arcee was about to follow them and nearly reached the portal, Optimus stopped her unexpectedly. The azure blue femme looked over her shoulder to see his gaze that had an expression she can't describe.

"Arcee… we need to talk about that; privately…" He said with the deep seriousness in his voice. Instead asking why, Arcee just nodded her helm when they heard a lonely howl in pain. They turned around to see where the howl came from when they spotted a glimpse of glittering snow-white light. The howl was filled with anger. Although it wasn't an angry howl that sworn for vengeance. It sounded like… a grief filled with loneliness that had been carried inside the wolf. Somehow, it was affecting as Arcee suddenly felt feelings she'd hidden deepest inside her spark got awake.

Her spark punted hard under the protected spark chamber, so hard hadn't she felt since… _that day_. She bit her under-lip plate, feeling the threatening clumb that grew on her neck gear.

"You alright?" A soft and aware question from Optimus captured her audio reflectors and she turned her optics to stare up on him.

The azure blue femme nodded instead replying a word to the tall Autobot, who knelt down on one knee and placed his right hand on her shoulder. Then he swept his massive arms to carry her up, something he'd never done before. His expression was sad and concerned behind the mask. They went through the GroundBridge portal and it closed after they disappeared into the light.


	2. Miko's decision

Ojojoj! What a late update for my crossover. So on the last chapter, Miko's gone into a bad trouble and lost unconsciousness. Did anyone think she will die here? Of course she will not die because she's very important, and here's on this chapter lies the reason why. I'm going to reveal Miko's secret which no other has any knowledge about.

* * *

**Chapter 2 – Miko's decision**

* * *

Miko remembered nothing. It felt like she had left her body and wandered lost in the thick fog there she didn't know which way she was. How scared she was, not knowing if she will see her friends again, and then she remembered a light through the darkness. It was bright white. She thought she was going to heaven…

"Uuuuuughhh…" Miko moaned out by the nasty headache that punched inside her brain when she finally woke up after a long sleep. Suddenly she heard voices that widen up her eyes. Those voices were Jack, Rafael and Jack's mother June.

"Are you alright?" Rafael was first to ask as he stood close on the side of the hospital bed. They were in a room nearby the intensive care unit in Jasper's hospital. Her head was wrapped with bandage around to cover the stitched wound. She got patches over the ripped scratch marks on her face, arms, legs and some on her chest and back. She had an air mask over her mouth and nose to give the oxygen she needed. Her clothes had been replaced with a white, long patient cloth. She was covered with thin tubes, beside her bed stood a heart-monitor that beeped on every stable heartbeat.

"Where… am… I?" She sounded so exhausted that she sounded more like dead than alive after returning from the death.

"You're at the hospital. You got a severe blow on your head, and you've been on surgery to fix it. You got lucky that the wound didn't cause more damages for your brain, although you were unconscious for very long time." June explained calm. But the frown on her face revealed enough how deeply her worry was when Miko was on surgery and lying lifeless on the bed. The frown relieved up.

"Are… the Bots… okay?"

"Yes."

"What were you thinking?" It was Jack who spoke up. He leaned over the bed to come Miko closer to speak without need to raise his voice. He looked more upset than angry. "You could get yourself killed out there. Why would you do such a thing like that?"

"I… I'm… so sorry… Jack." Miko hadn't the strength to speak properly. It sounded like a raspy whisper. She knew soon or later she will get yelled, blamed for being an idiot. She even hadn't strength enough to hold her eyes up. She fell slowly back into the blurry darkness and closed her eyes. Though, her rest was not a pleasant thing as she wished.

Miko had no idea how long had her rest last when she suddenly woke up with heavy breaths, like she had an horrible nightmare and wanted to flee out from it. She looked up on the roof, then moving her eyes around without she need move her head around to check. She heard small ticking sounds from a clock that stood above the door. 14.57 pm. How long had she been here? Suddenly it hit her. She got to get back to the Autobots and tell them. Miko looked after a button that calls any nurse to come in her needs. She found it quickly and pushed it. It gave a beeping sound, but it took three minutes before June came.

"You need something?" The nurse asked, leaning over the bed.

"How long time have I been here?" Miko had taken off the air mask to speak clearer.

"You've been here two days, it's Sunday today if you wonder. What's the matter?"

"The Bots. There's something I need to tell them."

"Not now, Miko. You must rest after your surgery, you'd got it pretty messed up."

"No I can't stay here! The wolf's out there… They need to know."

"What wolf?" The nurse raised up one eyebrow.

"June, can you please bring paper and color pen?"

"Sure… but why?"

"I need to remember everything." That was the only answer Miko gave. It did confuse the nurse but she didn't ask further.

Later, the nurse came back with paper and color pens. She didn't ask more about the things Miko spoke up. Left alone, she got busy to draw the wolf as best and as detailed she can remember, including the markings on the body. When she was finished with the drawing, she suddenly found herself how very familiar the wolf became for her. She knew she had seen it many times before. "It can't be true…" She whispered with wide open eyes. It was then she realized what she must do.

* * *

Miko had to stay on hospital a couple of days until she got the permission to leave after the doctors found her condition was good. It was evening when she finally arrived at home. The sky was orange-red as the large sun slowly goes towards the horizon, the shadows of the high plateaus casted long over the landscape. Although she wasn't happy to see her worried host parents, she was happy to alone be in her room at least. The bandage had been removed from her head.

Once she was in her room, Miko began her search. First on the bookshelf, then on the writing desk, then her bed but what she was looking after was either on those places. It was then she suddenly heard a small noise under the bed. She knelt down to look what was under when she saw a blue, small light that glowed bioluminescent.

"Zentsumaru?"

"Miko!"

A tiny voice suddenly shouted as the light bounced towards her, which scared Miko up and fell backwards on her back. The light was tiny like the size of a bug as it bounced up and down before it landed on her chest in front of her chin. The light revealed to be a Poncle.

"Zentsu! Is that really you, old buddy?" Miko exclaimed with wide open eyes, amazed to see her old friend. "But how…?"

"Don't ask, Miko. You know already: wherever you go, I'll follow." The tiny voice was manlike, soft but same time serious.

"I know… but I'd never thought you would follow me all way here. It's just amazing for a Poncle like you."

"Have you forgotten now again? I am your protector!"

"Shhh! Not so loud!" Miko suddenly grasped with both her hands around Zentsumaru, she held him inside her hands like a cage. "My host parents can hear us."

She quickly rose up, headed to the closed door to lay one ear against the wooden door. She listened after any sound from downstairs, but luckily she heard nothing. Then she headed towards her bed and lay on her back. She released him out from the cage. He bounced on her chest.

The Poncle was wearing a blue robe, blue hakama, a brown cape and a black belt to carry the katana sword with the grip that looked like an ink brush. His blue insect helmet was larger than his head and it had a pair of antennas. The young, square-shaped face was stoic with black eyes. His body was trained for strength and close combat thanks to the muscled shoulders, arms and legs.

"Miko… for the fifty millionth time, how many times have I told you… DON'T HOLD ME INSIDE A CAGE!" Zentsumaru aggressively shot daggers on his human partner's eyes. He'd pulled out his sword and pointed right at her as a warning. He never liked when somebody held him like that.

"Hehe, you're funny as always, Zentsu." Miko taunted with a small smirk.

"Hahaha, laugh how much you wants but don't forget that I may be just a Poncle but I am tougher than I appears." With a grunt, he turned his back against her, mumbling that she can't hear when she suddenly remembered what she really was looking for.

"Zentsumaru? Do you have the scroll with you?" She then gave the question that made him to look over his shoulder. The Poncle pulled back his sword into its black sheath.

"The scroll you say… yes. I do have it. What else will it be when it's supposed to be _only _in your care?"

"Yes it's true… but I thought I'd left it at home, you know."

"Enough with excuses, Miko," The Poncle suddenly cut off as he shot the serious gaze upon her. "You know the scroll is the only remaining source of our ancient past. Our families have taken care of it with much respect, treating it with deepest care we'd ever had. If it goes lost, there's no chance it will ever be found again."

"I know, Zentsumaru! But let me explain…"

"…All right… tell me then."

So Miko began her story.

* * *

"...You've gotta be kidding me…" after a long moment of listening in patience, the Poncle just stared at her in disbelief, the eyes totally wide open.

Miko shocked her head. "No, I'm not kidding. All I says is true. Zentsu… where's the scroll? I need it right now."

"I've hidden it in a perfect hiding place there either you or your host parents can find." He answered short.

Zentsumaru then bounced up in mid-air, bouncing towards the bookshelf. He jumped very high compare to his tiny size about over a meter above the floor and with a distance of one and half meter's length too. He climbed upon the bookshelf's ten levels until he finally reached the roof. Up there laid an old hand scroll with a pure golden twine that held up the scroll. The Poncle first pushed the scroll so it rolled to the edge, then he made sure he had a good grasp on the twine before he bounced off the edge. Despite being a Poncle, he was incredible strong to carry the scroll without problems.

Miko was quick to rush up and caught them in perfect time. She carried the scroll with shaken hands as she walked backwards and seated down on the edge of her bed. Her starring eyes were wide. It had been a long time since she held the scroll in her own hands, and even seeing it made her feel guilty.

"How long time has it been since I received this?" She questioned herself while she unnoticed her Poncle friend landed on one of her knees, sitting down with crossed legs like a monk and starring stoic as he watched on every movement Miko made. He sensed how tensed his partner became.

Miko slowly opened up the golden twine, then rolled it up while she laid it next to her on the bed. The scroll had a well-kept secret. Inside laid many outstanding Japanese arts that could be dated many centuries back in time. But this one however was very unique; it showed the age when demons caused evil and darkness in Nippon… and the time when Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess in her pure snow-white wolf form, fought against the darkness and brought life again over the lands of Nippon. All the art was made by the only one who lived there back then.

"Issun…" Miko spoke up the Japanese name script. "The Poncle who joined with the Sun Goddess and the only one who spread the word of the Gods when the darkest hour was as darkest amongst the people of Nippon…"

They two looked through the arts. They'd seen the arts thousands of times, but still they were amazed to see the outstanding and precise details on the humans, the landscapes, the demons, even all the thirteen Celestial Brush Gods but most of all Amaterasu. Many of the arts showed her journey through Nippon, from the beginning to the very end. It was then Miko found the art that was precise like her painting, and it sunk inside her. It really was Amaterasu she saw… but then she began to wonder. If it was really her… then why has she become into a Cybertronian?

_What have happened to you, Amaterasu? How and when did you became as a Cybertronian?, _Miko wondered when she got interrupt.

"Can you still remember the day when you got to know that you're an Oina?" Zentsumaru asked, catching her attention.

"Yes, I do. Now when you're mentioning it… I think I've taken my mask with me." She answered, gently carrying her friend on one of her hands while kneeling down to look again under her bed. There she found the wooden box she'd hidden from her host parents and grabbed it. When Miko had the box in her hands, she inhaled a deep breath and then exhaled it out as she opened up the box and saw her mask for the first time since she left home and arrived in Jasper.

The mask was a blue bear-like mask with white lines that formed a half-circle on the forehead, and three white spots were as eyebrows while a thin line goes straight down to the black nose, separating the eyes. The ears stood horizontal. The eyes had tiny, white irises and below them laid three red stripes on each cheek of the mask. Above the mask sat thirteen eagle feathers attached tightly with a thick rope.

Memories flashed inside Miko's mind as she fell into a thoughtful silence. Over since she was a little girl, Miko knew she wasn't like an ordinary person. When she was just six years old, she discovered the answer. It happened as an accident when she suddenly transformed into a wolf puppy amongst other children in school. Fortunately none got injured on that day, but that event changed everything she knew what. Her family forced themselves to move often to new areas back then. She didn't understand why they had to move often, the answer didn't come until she received her mask for the first time.

It was then she got to know about her family's ancient past, and the tragic fate of her ancestors.

Her mother together with three brothers and four sisters, also Miko's old surviving grandmother and her now dead great grandparents from mother's side were the descendants of the ancient Oina tribe, who lived in the northern lands of Nippon for many centuries ago. Unlike most people, the Oina tribe carried the blood to be half-human, half-wolfs.

The tribe lived on a constant struggle of survival in the harsh and cold land of Kamui, and fighting against the demons that lived there when things only worsened at the worst. The Twin Demons, Lechku and Nechku, suddenly broke free one day from their prisons inside the twin summits of Ezofuji, and assaulted the land. The land would've become an icy tomb if they prays didn't been responded by the Sun Goddess. She brought an end upon the Twin Demons' raging… But after the darkest hour, after Amaterasu flew onboard the Ark of Yamato towards the Celestial Plans, the Oina tribe suddenly faced their most tragic disaster.

It was known as the genocide of the Oina.

Nobody knew what happened; only that the tribe suddenly got attacked out of nowhere and all of the people were slaughtered to death without mercy. However, there were few survivors who managed to flee from the slaughter, and thanks to the survivors who survived against extinction, they are her ancestors. Actually… it was said that one very special person was amongst the survivors, who became the new chief of the survivors. His name was Oki, the legendary Oina hero who fought together with Amaterasu against the Twin Demons.

It was said he led his people down to the southern lands of Nippon in search for a new home, and throughout his life he protected with his life for his people and family he created together with Kai, one of the survivors. Though, the Oina had it harsh with changes that forced them to adapt for a changing world. They soon had to hide their true selves from other people as they became the hunted ones. Throughout centuries, the blood of the Oina slowly became weaker and every child slowly became more human than half-human, half-wolf. A bad sign that told the slowly incoming extinction they will face one day.

Then Miko suddenly remembered the story.

"Zentsu… do you remember the story about the Oina hero, and the Sun Goddess who walked amongst the humans in a shape of a wolf?" she looked down on Zentsumaru, who looked upon her when she rolled up again the scroll to close it and sealed it.

"Yes I do, Miko. We Poncles and your people shares a common past together," He answered unexpectedly soft. "And we have never forgotten our roles as Celestial Envoys since Issun made his scroll to keep his memories fresh among us. We must carry his memories through our generations. My ancestors together with yours made a promise to make sure the memories will stay until the day _she _comes…"

"True. But there's something I've never understood."

"As such…?"

"I've always had the question: Why did Amaterasu disappear after the final battle?"

The Poncle fell into a long moment in silence as he tried to figure out his answer, but he became uncertain for the first time over how he shall answer. He then realized how hard the question became, and the answer harder to figure out. "I'm afraid I have no idea, my dear old friend. I wish I could give you an answer but I can't this time."

To his very surprise, Miko suddenly smiled up and laughed. "Zentsumaru, sometimes I think you can't answer because you think you know everything in entire universe but you simple as easy pretending you're almighty."

"Heeey! That's not true! I don't pretend I am the almighty Poncle because I am your protector!" Zentsumaru snapped back, he'd pulled out his sword again as his blue bioluminescent light became red and bounced up and down several times while he waved his arms. "You who never think a second thought before you're already in big trouble!"

"Shhhh!" Once again, Miko had to catch Zentsumaru and holding him inside her hands, which she clearly shouldn't do that. Immediately she felt a sting and opened up her hands, which Zentsumaru saw his chance to escape and landed on the floor. On the place there the sting came from, a very tiny trail of blood flowed on the palm of Miko's hand.

"That happens every time you holds me like that!" he laughed taunting, pointing up his sword there blood dropped from the sharp edge.

"Zentsu!" Miko yelled at him with a whining noise while the taunting laughs from Zentsumaru continued. "That hurt!"

"Blame yourself. I hope you've taken your lesson now." He smirked.

"Hahahah," Miko tried to ignore him when she rose up and headed to the door.

The Poncle then stopped laughing as his gaze followed after her, a thin frown shaped on his forehead. He watched her disappear and close the door behind her. It took a long moment before she came back again. Then he saw a plaster patch over the thin wound on her hand. He felt an instant regret. Despite their arguments and taunting, they had developed a close bond between each other. He can still remember the day when he met the little child, who was lost without knowing about her true self. He laughed at the memory when she got very confused, asking him with many questions, and she did even called him 'tiny human'.

He went so far into his memories that he failed to notice his friend's bag with arm frame lying on the floor. He had isolated himself from the rest of the surrounding when a noise suddenly forced him back in reality. He instinctually pulled out his sword, was used to react on the tiniest sound and standing ready. When he realized there was no danger, he instantly placed his sword back again inside its sheath before he made a high bounce up in mid-air and landed on Miko's shoulder.

"Miko, what are you doing exactly?" he questioned with a lifted eyebrow, watching his friend but it seemed she didn't hear him. With a focused look, she picked the scroll to pack it in the bag, then she put the mask above her head. Though, the silence lasted not long before she spoke up.

"I'm going to find her."

Zentsumaru couldn't believe what she just said. "You… You're going to find her? The Sun Goddess?! On your own?!" He rather roared it out than yelling, totally disbelieved.

"Zentsu, I must find her!" She raised her voice, but not loud enough so her host parents would hear her yell. "Don't you remember about the prophecy? _When the last descendent of the Oina hero sees the divine markings of the Sun Goddess, the time has come to save the Oina tribe from extinction. _I am the last descendent of Oki. I am the only hope for my family. I have to save my whole family from extinction!"

"I know, Miko. But you can't do this alone. You've got a long way ahead, you will face many enemies and you will not manage to survive on your own!"

"Zentsumaru, I'm not a kid anymore. I will find Amaterasu and make sure my family will be saved once and for all."

"Miko Nakadai, you've gotta kidding me! You can't do this alone."

"Zentsu… I have to do this. This is my decision, not yours. If there's a chance for salvation, then the time has come."

"Why are you saying like that, my old dear friend?"

"Because none of my friends will believe in me. How am I supposed to explain them? Like 'Hey, guys. I'm half-human, half-wolf!', or 'I can transform into a wolf'. I can't just do that." Miko had right. Zentsumaru knew it would be very difficult for explaining for her since she made a promise to never tell any human about her true self. Hearing the slight sad tone in her voice told him enough that she was afraid to tell the truth.

"I totally understand you. You've grow up knowing you're not allowed to reveal about your true self, like your ancestors had to hide themselves from being hunted by humans, and had to adapt for a changing world. It was same thing for my ancestors as well. But I think they will understand." a neutral answer came from Zentsumaru, but it didn't pleasant her.

"No, Zentsumaru. I rather die than telling them. Besides, they will only think I've become crazy." Miko growled low, the cheeks blushed up red.

"No, no, no, Miko. You're not crazy…" he disagreed.

"Zentsumaru, you're my closest friend I've ever had. I trust you more than ever… and that's why I'm not leaving without you." Suddenly she said that shocked the Poncle up.

"That's right – what? Wait a second… you're taking with me?" Zentsumaru just stared right up at her, unable to speak further. He looked so dumb on his face.

"Of course I'll take you with me, your silly tiny human." A giggle from Miko, and then carried the bag up on one shoulder before she looked through the window upon her bed.

It had already turned dark outside as the last rays of sunlight died and the cloak of darkness covered up the twilight sky, and stars were starting to appear when she rose up to open up the window. The wind blew weakly in as the window stood whole open. She looked far away to the horizon across the desert landscape when she suddenly started to think on the Autobots. She must leave a note behind her. Without saying a word, she hurried towards her write desk, pulled out a box there A4-size papers laid and took one. Then she began writing.

Zentsumaru, who had jumped off her shoulder when she opened up the window, seated down and watched her from the edge of the bed. He watched how she rolled up her message together with the picture and binding them up together with a brownish rubber sting and laid it inside the bag so she wouldn't lose it. She then headed back to the bed, holding the paper in her hand as she offered a hand for Zentsumaru, which he instantly jumped up and she carried him up to her shoulder. He bounced into her hair, hiding inside one on her pigtails with a small 'Tee-hehe-hehe'.

Miko made a last look over her shoulder over her room. A thought came inside her mind. She will not be home for a while now, and either will she see her friends for a while. She knew she will face many dangers ahead, either did she know if she will ever make it through. But she's an Oina. After making the decision to seek after Amaterasu, she cannot change now. With a threating clump that hardened her throat and tears filling on her eyes, she took the first step as Miko climbed through the window, sliding down the roof until she reached the edge, there she stand on a position like a sly ninja as she looked up on the sky.

"O spirits of the air, earth and sea…," She patted her hands together to pray. "Protect us with your divine powers!" Then she placed her mask over her face and leapt forward as she transformed into her wolf form.

Her wolf body shape was slim with long legs and a slim but long tail, made for speed and swiftness. Behind the large wolf ears stand her pig tails up, the hair bang hanged on its usual place between the mask and ear, and the rest hanged under the throat while the soft fur stood half spikey down to the shoulder blades. The colors reflected where once was Miko's hair and clothes, so rest of her body and head except the neck was dark blue with the purple, large stripes on the back thighs and the smaller stripes on the lower back legs. Miko still carried the arm band on right front paw.

She jumped over fences, avoiding obstacles like standing cars as she ran through the streets in Jasper. Then all suddenly she stopped dead on an end of a street. Being an Oina, her sensors increased far better. Her eye sight can see through darkness without problems, her hearing can hear the slightest and distant sound, but it's her sense of smell that Miko used most of all.

_Rafael's home doesn't lie far from here, _she thought. _Perhaps I shall leave my message to him. _

The wolf looked on the direction there she thought Rafael's home lay on the resident area. Remembering the road, she galloped fast while passing by the family houses, though it took not so long until she arrived on the house of the Esquivels. There she laid her message in the mail box.

"Farewell…" She spoke like a dog with soft whines and yelping, a small tear flowed down from her left eye but she shocked her head to hold back her tears. Knowing she had no other choice for second thoughts now when she must do her mission as the last descendent of Oki. So she began to run again, faster and faster as she headed out from the town towards the Nevada desert. But when she reached outside the town, she stopped to take a look for the last time.

She remembered a quote and spoke: "A journey of a thousand miles always starts with a single step. My first step of my journey… has begun."

Then she ran as fast she can and disappeared under the night sky.

* * *

So Miko's journey has begun! Will she make it through? On the next chapter, we'll returning back to Amaterasu and see what's going on with her. Before I finish here, I'll tell you that Zentsumaru and my idea to make Miko as Oina and the last descendent of Oki belongs to me but Poncles, the Oina Tribe and Oki belongs to Capcom. Any reviews would be greatly appreciated :3


	3. Who am I?

Well, well, look what we've got here. For you who have been eager to know more, its Amaterasu's turn to have her own chapter, and it occurs on the same night when Miko leaves Jasper, though on different place now. Well… I'm afraid this chapter may sucks for a certain reason.

* * *

**Chapter 3 – Who am I?**

* * *

"_Carrier! Carrier, where are you?! Carrier!" I screamed after my carrier terrified. Tears flowing down on my cheek plates, running through the flames while many explosions bombed everywhere on the wrecked battlefield as I ran for life, crying out for my carrier._

_I was very tiny, only reaching barely my carrier's knee gear, and filthy with dry Energon and dirt over my frame. I ran on my four like I'd always did, I was faster on that way than running on two legs. My sensitive sensors were in pain by the intensity that was happening. The intensive sounds of shots and the explosions raged like a monster from the Pit itself. I ran as fast as I can when I suddenly saw an Autobot flew high in mid-air, crashing hard against the ground. _

"_Sire!" I cried out._

_He was badly wounded with deep wounds through his metal and steel when I approached him. He stood unstable on his knees with his hands on the ground, heavy coughing while the blue Energon dropped down. He then moved up his gaze on me when he heard my cries._

"_Snowy…" He panted heavy, wrapping me close into his chest plates with one arm when a deep laughter of evil suddenly echoed through the flames, which he instantly reacted. _

_Despite his wounds, he was quick to stand up with shaken legs, carrying me up. His optics narrowed as he bit on the under-lip plate to hold back the pain. I whined loudly like a puppy does when it's calling its carrier, so terrified as I watched a dark shadow grew up within the flames. My sire then pulled out one of his sword on the other, free arm and held it straight in front of him. The shadow came closer towards us, and slowly transformed into the worst monster I will never forget._

"_Megatron…" I sobbed the monster's name under my breath. The silver and purple monster appeared out from the flames that danced around him, the evil gaze hungry after lives to take and torture. _

"_Optimus Prime…" he growled, glaring at me which I instantly hide my face in my sire's chest plate to avoid the evil optics that wanted more than just take me away from my creators. He wanted to torture me, then kill me._

"_Megatron…" Sire growled deep, anger burned on his optics. "You stay away from my daughter!"_

"_Your _daughter_? HAH! You still see that snow-white one as your youngling? How pathetic you are, Prime." The monster smirked not amused, showing a burning hatred upon Sire. Suddenly he pulled out his sharp sword, and there was no time for Sire to react before he charged against us. I screamed in panic…_

**AAARRGGHH!**

I roared out as I used my claws on right hand against the cave wall and jumped up on my legs. Fully wide awake, I bared my fangs growling as I stared on the five white claw marks on the wall. Deep breaths went through my bared fangs, my fur stood high over my back and my spark beating fast under my throat. But it lasted not long until I calmed down and suddenly felt how slagging exhausted I became.

Then came the pain. I was still injured, but my wound on shoulder had begun slowly to heal itself. The other injuries however gave me still horrible pain inside and out. I felt horribly exhausted, but when I was about to kneel down…

_**Help us!**_

The screams and the visions suddenly came out of nowhere inside my processor. I instantly put my hands on my wolf audio reflectors, screaming out in pain as the screams became intensive like the Pit. The visions flashed everywhere, showing many things at once, and the flashing red light blinded me easily like every time.

_Shadows of humans running for their lives, flames devouring them as eight gigantic, long-necked heads appeared, glowing by millions of gray scales and the heads wearing heavily armored helmets. A fierce roar came, piecing through my sensitive audio reflectors. _

_More shadows of monsters then appeared out from the flames. First a fox-like monster with nine tails and a nine-pointed sword came, followed by a pair of mechanical owls, and after them floated one walking armor suit with green fog in mid-air, impaled with countless blades and arrows without any body. _

_Through the flames charged a creature-like bull creature with heavily armor and a pair of arms to wield its massive swords. And below the cracked asphaltic ground, a gigantic spider that reminded somehow like a female human with a flower-like abdomen attacked up and shrieked out its terrifying scream._

_The humans tried to run for their lives, young and old, strong and weak, children with their parents, bonded lovers and older humans. Only to be killed instantly or devoured by the monsters. I was standing there, stuck like frozen. I couldn't move, either shout a cry to the humans. The only thing I did was watching how the innocent humans got devoured by the monsters. _

_The thundering sky raged it's fury as white thunders struck everywhere when I got a view of the sky above the brutal slaughtering. The sky then divided and revealed a black sky with a thin red crescent. But it wasn't the moon. It was an eclipse. A moment later, the sun disappeared behind the large, black moon._

_**Save us! Save us! Save us!**_

The begging screams got worse. I couldn't hold on it anymore but instantly howled out. "**STOP IT!**" But it didn't help. The pain increased inside my audio reflectors into worse, they will bleed any minute if this slagging Pit continued mercilessly. "**STOP IT! PLEASE, MAKE IT STOP!**" I cried in pain and fell down, curling into a ball.

And as if my plea were heard by Primus, all the visions suddenly stopped along with the screaming, but it did leave me shaken and a horrible ache inside my processor. I probably was lying still with shaken nerves for a long moment before I let my tears to fill up and flow down. Then I slowly sit up, rubbing my optics and finally rose up on my legs to walk out through the exit of the cave with a struggle to hold back my tears.

It was not my first time to see the visions. I can remember the first time when they suddenly came without warning, and since then, the visions haunted me every time without any warning to predict. Although they'd never changed at all, it had always been same visions and my questions are still unanswered.

The moonlight welcomed me when I stood outside the cave, and the view of the British Columbia landscapes with the thick, mile-wide forests and high fjords gave me many memories. Far away a lake reflected the light.

_How long time has it been?, _I thought questioning. _Being gone for so long but nothing has changed. The forests… the mountains… and the lake haven't changed since I left here._

I shocked my thoughts away when I transformed into my wolf form and started to gallop downhill, entering the thick forests as the wind whispered through the trees. I'd never felt it so welcoming, but it did make me to feel guilty. It suddenly came oblivious when I arrived on the lake. It had been a very long time since I lived here. I never thought how much I missed here.

Here it was. The place there I came here to Earth centuries ago. Back then, I was a youngling. The lake's stillness brought the calmness I remembered, and the moon's reflection glowed on the dark surface as I went closer to the water to see on my reflection. When I reached out my head over the dark water as I seated down, the first thing I saw was my crimson markings on my face plate.

_The markings…_, I thought, frowning. _Why am I the only one who can see them?_

As long as I can remember since I came into the world, I was always the only one who can see my markings. I remembered the day when I asked my creators about them, but they couldn't answer. Only they did was questioning me, and I remembered it pretty well as it was said yesterday:

_What markings are you talking about, Snowy? _

I didn't understand why they answered that. So I started to ask the other bots that I grew up with, and they gave the same question back. I didn't realize it until everything changed, something I will never forget… and never forgive.

I stared on my reflection, listening on my beating spark as I struggled to hold back my tears. My wolf ears pointed backward as I bit hard, cursing myself to dare allow myself to break in tears. My paws' claws dug into the earth, starting to dig up some dirt in frustration as I growled, pulling up my lips and showing my fangs. I closed my optics hard, growling more frustrated as my jaws got tensed by holding them half-open, holding a balance between closing and opening them.

Finally, I couldn't hold on as I burst out my furious howl that was heard for many miles and transformed up into my true form. My howling lasted long, but not as long as my crying.

"_Sire!" I cried out as I watched the tough battle between sire and the monster. When the monster charged against us, my sire threw me and ordered me to hide. _

_Being so small made me easily to hide perfectly within wreckages, slide through cracks, yes, anything that I can easily fit in and stay there for many hours without getting easily found. I hide behind a thick, wrecked metal wall there I slide through a thin crack and watched the battle. _

_Shaken in total fear, I tried my best to not scream when sire suddenly got a massive blow. He flew right to a wall, it broke easily and he landed on his abdomen. But my sire refused to give up. He was up again, standing with shaken legs and seriously wounded as he stood prepared with his blades, ready to the end. The monster rose up his cannon. _

"No… No, no, no, no…" I begged, praying to not see the memory again.

_The monster was about to shoot… but he didn't. He never did. It was because I suddenly scream to stop him. He shot his optics at me, and saw me within the crack. It hit me instantly what I'd done, and when I saw him pointing his cannon right on me, I instantly slide out through the crack and manage to flee. But not before I nearly flew up in the air by the shockwave created by the shot from the monster's cannon. _

_The shot missed me, although it did hurt me. __But despite my wounds and my burned fur, I kept running as I transformed into my puppy form._

_The monstrous roar broke through the flames, scaring the Pit out of me as I ran faster and faster. I did also hear the desperate yell of my sire, filled with horror, and then how his roar of vengeance roared as far as any life in Cybertron can hear. Running so fast made me already exhausted. _

_I had to stop to catch my breath when I noticed something standing up within the raging flames. __My beating spark punted faster when I rushed towards the standing pillar. When I was as closest, I soon found the pillar was actually a space vessel that was still intact and rushed towards it. __What surprised me though was it was much smaller than most of shuttles I can remember, as it was made for the shortest Cybertronians._

_I remembered what I was taught to do; head into the cockpit, activate the system instruments on, then use the control handle to make sure you get off the ground and finally get the Pit out of here. _

_Because of its standing position, as it was about to launch, I had to find another way in. Fortunately I didn't waste time to search after another way in as the hatch sat on the roof of the vessel instead the back as usual. I grasped on the grip, using all my strength to pull the hatch open. It slowly unlocked, opening sideways clumsy and sluggish. I then jumped into the cockpit. Inside, there was one only cockpit seat, the system instruments lying in front deactivated but intact. _

_I immediately jumped on the seat, reached out my hands to activate all the instruments online. When them came online and the lights went on as the thrusters roared out, and as I felt how the vessel shock inside, I grabbed on the control handle and pulled it back towards my chest plates. The shaking then became worse as the thrusters brought the raging sound, I felt how the vessel slowly lifted up by the pure force of raging pulse from the thrusters. _

_I nearly yelped when I felt how the gravity inside became much lighter that, if I hadn't taken the belt around my waist, I would float in the air. The radar that lay in front of me suddenly alerted, picking up three incoming hostiles. Seekers. I knew they are fast one, and this vessel was clumsy, unable to make swiftly movements. _

_Reality hit me. I was about to die. Tears started to fill again on my dry optics when I folded my hands together. "Primus…" I whispered, sobbing under my breath. "May your welcoming arms fold me close into your spark, may you watch over my creators for me…"_

_But it never happened. There were no alerts for incoming missiles directed on me, either did I see the radar picking up the incoming missiles. But I did see a bright, flashing light that blinded me. The last thing I did was to cry out my final howl. My farewell to my creators…_

**WHOOOOOOOO-OOOOOHHH!**

I rose up my head and gave out my howl in despair. My grief and the pain wrecked through my frame, the old wounds ripped up once again. Then I collapsed down, curling up into a fur ball as I cried my optics out so much that there were no tears left to spare. It hurt so much. I can't remember anything after the event with the blinding light until the crash-landing, and the crash-landing occurred on the lake.

I was extremely lucky to flee from a certain death. If I stayed inside the vessel, I would've certain had drown. But I can't remember how I managed to escape.

Lying still, my tears had stopped and my optics had become very dry. My shaken frame made it uncomfortable for me to even breathe. Never had I forgotten what I did, neither did I forgive myself.

When I was still a youngling, I thought my creators would search after me… but the bitter truth was they never came for me. I remembered how much lonely I was, how much I cried and thinking the bad thoughts that I deserved to be dead or I shouldn't jump inside the vessel. I remembered the time when I cried after my creators, calling them constantly and hoped they'll response, only to face the harsh reality: You're on your own now.

"Why… why am I still alive?" I sobbed, remaining lying still. Listening my beating spark that felt so broken inside, I found the only comfort I knew best. I am alive. I am a survivor. I shouldn't blame myself, I should be happy to stay alive…

Suddenly my creators came inside my processor. They are here on Earth, and I only know that a couple days ago. Unexpectedly I felt a sudden need to stand up, so I did. "They didn't know…" I said. "They didn't know that I'm here, alive and strong. Why didn't they know that?"

Was it possible that… they thought I was dead for a long time? To be honest, I believed they didn't remember me anymore. Anger burned inside as I showed my fangs again, growling over the reflection on the water. To the other me.

"They didn't believe that I was alive, huh?" I talked to the other me. A grimace only from the other me, then small and cold words whispered. "Go…go…go…go and show them…"

I pulled a hideous smile, showing the garden of teeth that shined by the moonlight. "Yes… I shall find them. I shall show them! They will realize they had wrong!" My smile looked so stupidly evil that I laughed like a hyena. I'd never looked so stupid before. But it wasn't funny. As I laughed over the other me, I suddenly stopped and stared with wide-open optics. Silence hanged in the air for a very long moment until I spoke up:

"Who am I?"

That had always been the mystery about me. The same questions twisted back and forth.

_Who am I? _

_Why am I so different? _

_Why am I so unique? _

_Where did I come from? _

"I don't know who I really am… I don't know where I originally came come…" I whispered to the other me, the smile was long dead, now a frowning face. "I don't even know what my real name is..." I moved my gaze up from the water to see the moon as I transformed into my true form. "Who am I really?"

My creators called me Snowy when I was little, but I knew it was not right. I had a real name. Though for some kind of reason, I can't remember what my real name was. Troubled over not knowing about my true self, I searched after my real name.

Throughout centuries as I grew stronger and became more experienced, I was constantly on search after the truth about me. But no matter how long time, no matter how much pain and agony I had to bear, no matter how far I had to travel, I never came closer. Not even a single step. I had been frustrated many times, and been so lost many times that I'd lost count. It was my searching that made me to leave the British Columbia landscapes, transformed my life into nomadic.

It had always driven me. Constantly searching without an end…

I stared on the moon for a long moment, the atmosphere fading away like vanishing from reality. I fell thoughtful on my thoughts, thinking for a very long moment. Thinking on my past when the girl suddenly came in front of me. Then I remembered how badly injured she was. Is she's okay? Did she make it? Then I realized… the girl had something to do with the Autobots to do. Why didn't I realize it until now?

Suddenly I felt so responsible. So responsible hadn't I been before. The girl… I must find her. No matter if she's alive or not, I must.

"Little one… I will find you no matter if you're still alive or dead." I said, pulling up my upper-lip plate and showing the fangs. "I will run as fast as I can, I will not stop. **I WILL NOT STOP UNTIL I HAVE FOUND YOU!**" I jumped, made a backflip, transformed to my wolf form and howled my fierce howl.

I started to run, catching up the galloping speed as I ran aside the edge of the lake. Imagines flashed in front of my optics. The Autobots… if the girl's with them, then I shall find them. And… face my creators again. How will they response once they understand?

Very surprisingly I felt a joy inside my beating spark, a joy that I hadn't experienced before. Whatever it was, I smiled by the feeling.

* * *

Ojojojoj! So Amaterasu doesn't know about her true self, and being driven to find her real name. Will Amaterasu make it to find Miko and face the Autobots? Until the next chapter, stay close!


	4. The memories of their daughter

Ojojoj! Thanks to Kajsa, my beloved muse, I give this chapter for your guys who have been eager for more. The following chapter contains semi-graphic birth and dramatic one too, so if you're sensitive or so, then don't read here. I was heavily inspired by the amazing soundtrack _Look to the stars _from Man of Steel soundtrack list by Hans Zimmer. Seriously guys, I recommend you to listen on it. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 4 – The memories of their daughter**

* * *

_The enemy was everywhere. _

_The intensity of the shooting and the explosions were at extreme levels. High buildings and structures had fallen in flames that kept spreading around. _

_Many Cybertronians, both Autobots and Decepticons, had fallen victims as the War raged on and on endlessly. Energon-shred had been spilled everywhere as the battles worsened, and more lives being destroyed or taken as prisoners of war. The world had turned up-side-down. Before there was once peace, now only death that hungrily swept into the intensive battles, and take as many as it constantly wanted more and more._

_For one particular femme, her life was about to turn into worse._

* * *

_A loud moan echoed in pain inside a well hidden bunker far below a falling, wrecked building._

"_Easy… inhale and exhale. You're doing it great. Easy."_

_Lying on her back on the cold floor, Arcee tried her best to inhale her breath and hold it as a spasm coursed through her frame. It hitched and shuddered her frame whole. The pain was everywhere, burning like the pit. Her legs were parted, shuddering by the tensed muscle cables. Next to her sat Optimus, the only support and comfort now when she needed it most. Arcee squeezed his hand, biting under-lip plate until she gasped out. _

"_Primus… little one, you've gotta get out of me soon. Please, stop kicking for Primus' sake. Don't mess me up now." she muttered, gasping for air while trying to gain some recharge for the still-coming contractions. Her breathing was heavy, and her chassis rose up high and then sunk down. Tiny hands pressed insistently against the walls as her sparkling moved and twisted within her gestation chamber._

_Optimus said nothing. Instead he laid his other, free hand on the half-swollen abdomen, stroking gently. He felt the protesting kicks under the tensed abdomen. _

_**Clang! Clang! Clang!**_

_The contractions were getting closer. The first one came suddenly without any warning when Arcee and her comrades fought against the Decepticons. Optimus was there when it happened. Quickly he carried the azure blue femme in his arms and ran for a shelter, which they'd got lucky to find the well hidden bunker. The thick walls were soundproofed, making things safer for Arcee. No Decepticon can hear the agonized screams, neither can they detect their signature signals. Though, it had been a whole solar cycle since the first contraction came, and Arcee hadn't broke her gestational fluids yet despite all._

"_Prime…" Arcee heaved under her breath as she took an optic-contact at her commander. "I'm scared…"_

_Without answering, Optimus moved his free hand from her abdomen, then he low down his head and rested his audio on it. Listening the fast-beating sparkbeat that pulsed faster than Arcee's own, he felt the kicks and the movements that the small sparkling made as he or she shifted inside the gestation chamber. He even did feel a tiny hand touching him curiously. The femme then raised her free hand, placing it on the other side of her abdomen. _

_Arcee knew Optimus was the right bot for her sparkling. She knew he will do anything for her only sparkling. And not only he was the right one, he defiantly wanted to be the sparkling's adoptive sire. Small lines of tears filled on her optics. She knew he will look after, take care and protect her child as his own. He even swore once that he would die for her child._

"_Optimus…" She only said his name, shredding happy tears, and knowing her sparkling will grow under the protective eyes of Optimus Prime. _

"_I know, Arcee… I'm scared too." He sounded very honest for the answer, which surprised Arcee. He scared? The bravest Autobot of all? Scared for something very small compare to him?_

_Suddenly she screamed out in pain as another contraction coursed through her frame, tensed and hitched up her gestation chamber as the muscle cables in her intakes and legs tightened up. Optimus instantly reacted by her scream. He'd rose up his head, felt the squeezing pain that almost crossed his hand by Arcee's unexpectedly strong power. _

"_Easy, Arcee, easy. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere. You're going it great." He comforted the carrying femme as best he can, using his free hand to massaging on the shuddering abdomen as he watched her struggle. When it went away, Optimus let his hand go Arcee's hand and moved closer towards her exposed valve. There he stuck in one digit, measuring how open she was. More concern shaped on his already concerned look, telling her that something was not right._

"_How open am I?" Arcee's question was an exhausted gasp, though Optimus was able to hear it._

"_You're only thirty percent dilated." His answer made her to moan in disappointment. _

"_Only thirty percent? You've gotta be kidding me… Little one, you're good as a trouble maker. Why are you so stubborn? Agh…Stop messing me up, please. I've got more than enough already…" She just couldn't believe that she hadn't opened more than five percent. Arcee moved her head back, placing her free hand over her optics and rubbed them. The Prime chuckled, though he was disappointed too. _

_He remembered Ratchet telling him and her once that first births usually got slower progresses, up to three cycles for example. He even heard that a few femmes had even six to seven cycles of labor!_

_Seven cycles of labor… Arcee wouldn't handle such a long time. If something happens to her… then he will have no other choice but to use an emergency caesarean. Without Ratchet on place, and no useful equipment, he was all alone. Worse, Arcee was going to give birth between her legs. Which it only occur one out of two hundred-fifty births, and it's more dangerous than opening the abdomen plates and the gestation chamber. _

_Optimus closed quickly his optics and prayed mentally:_

_Primus, please protect Arcee and her child._

* * *

"_Aaaaaauuuughh…"_

_Her agonized moans echoed loud, dancing back and forth between the walls. She was standing on a squatting position with Optimus behind, holding her up by his arms swept around her chassis. The contractions were much stronger, though it had been four solar cycles since the first contraction, and still Arcee hadn't broke her fluids. The uncomfortable squatting position turned to help better at least. The pain came much faster, the spasms lasting longer. And still the progress was slowly._

_Standing on his knees, Optimus had his head behind the femme's neck gear, whispering: "Come on, come on, Arcee. Don't give up now. I'm right here."_

_Arcee panted and gasped heavy, trying her best to breathe during the contractions shuddering. "Optimus, can you take a look how much open I am?"_

"_Yes." A soft answer as a small comfort. Optimus helped the exhausted femme to lie down on the floor, then he moved to her valve and stuck in a digit inside. _

"_You're now sixty percent dialed now… Just hang on." He leaned down his head, laying it on the abdomen. Trying to find if the sparkling was on right position by listening after his or her sparkbeat, and he soon found the sparkbeat. "The sparkling is in right position." He then said._

"_I know. I can feel my child, and he or she's going down… Agh, little one, stop being such a trouble maker for me." The femme muttered annoyed when she felt the kicks hitting against her intakes in protest. Her commander helped her up on her legs, again on the squatting position when it suddenly happened. _

_A soft popping noise captured their attention as Arcee felt something both warm and cold streamed in rivulets downwards her legs. She instantly looked down and found very light blue liquid. The Autobot commander did see the rivulets too. _

_But seconds later, Arcee screamed in agony as a contraction hit through her frame, demanding her to push._

* * *

_The pain. The agony. The fear. That's how she experienced most of all._

_It burned like the worst pit Arcee had ever experienced in her valve. It burned so much as the sparkling was heading down towards the birthing canal. She screamed through biting dentas in agony as she pushed down. She stood with her back against a wall, parted legs. Optimus was now in front of her on his knees, the femme's hands grabbed hard on his collarbone-plates. One hand held her up, swept under her left armpit gear, and the other under the valve ready to catch the sparkling._

"_Come one, Arcee!" He rather used raised voice than yelling, tried his best to sound as supportive as any first time sire. A digit went into Arcee's whole open valve, and to his shock, he could feel the scalp of the sparkling's head. Optimus could feel how his spinal column sent shivers over his back once he removed his digit out from the valve. "Arcee, the sparkling is very close now. When the next comes, give all your strength to push down to the final. Okay?" _

_She nodded with shuddering neck movements, the pain in her face plates told enough how much struggle she had left to do. "Y-yes…"_

_When another contraction came, she pushed down. Her commander kept yelling 'Push, push, push!' while she pushed as hardest with all strength she had._

_It was the most painful experience she had ever been through. None of the scars and wounds she received in battles came close. Slowly but safely, the head slipped further down the canal in every pushing, and finally found the way out from inside her frame and met the cold outside. _

_The Prime's hand had begun to tremble by tensed nerves when he instantly touched the tiny head. The head could fit the middle of his black palm. The wet, slippery feeling awoke strong feelings within his spark, pulsing faster as he caressed extremely gently when he noticed something. He very gently stretched Arcee's valve with his digits, supporting the sparkling._

"_The head's out now," he said as he moved his gaze from down to up on Arcee's agonized face plates. "But he's still inside the sack."_

_The gray sack was a second, inner sack that protected the sparkling during the gestation cycle and birth. It's stronger than the main sack that kept all the fluids, however it can contain some fluids if it hadn't broke like the main sack._

"…_Optimus…" a very weak, barely hearable gasp captured his audio sensors in an instant. He instantly looked on her, and realized how very weak she had become, worse than he thought. The femme was so exhausted and weak that she barely opened up her optics. The view became blurry, like a mist that thickened and faded reality. Her breaths were very heavy and slow. "…I can't take much longer now…"_

"_Arcee! Give all you have now!" The Prime pleaded. He'd moved his face very close to hers, theirs touched forehead to forehead. "You're almost there. It's almost over. It's almost over… Be strong. For me and for our child…"_

_Barely had the strength to speak, Arcee nodded before inhaling a deep breath through her mouth and held it as she gave a final pushing. She threw her head back, screaming out her air pumps as the gray sack slipped free in sheen of light blue fluids. __At same time the Prime removed his hand from her and caught the sack with both his hands. _

_Arcee couldn't stand up anymore, choking. Her legs were shaking so much after standing so long that they felt suddenly heavy for her and she collapsed against the wall, slowly gliding down to the floor. Panting heavily, she closed her optics as the very exhausted frame grew up and sunk down breathing. _

_Optimus was quick. He'd already ripped up the sack with bare hands. The sack's blue wires tangled around the main umbilical line. Those wires were smaller, thinner umbilical lines that assembled the whole sack together, gray translucent skin attached around the wires that reminded like roots of the tree of life._

_There he saw the hidden treasure within the ripped sack; a very tiny, pure snow-white sparkling. But it wasn't what he expected. He or she looked more like a puppy than a sparkling. It had digitigrade legs with paws, fur from the scalp of the head all way down to the tip of the thin tail, floppy puppy ears as audio sensors, front paws on the wrists and it defiantly didn't have any colors of Arcee. _

_He suddenly gasped in shock as he found the main umbilical line was tangled around the throat, acted instantly and tangled the line free. But no cry was heard. The little one was just lying still lifeless. Not jerking at all._

"_Is…is my child alright? Why don't I hear a cry…?" Arcee barely had the strength to rise up, but she had the strength to speak. It was then it suddenly hit her and despair began to take shape on her face plates. Tears started to fill up, and then flowed down in streams as Arcee watched her little child lifelessly, placing a hand over her mouth to hide the shock. _

_They couldn't believe in the bitter truth that they'd come too late for their child. Optimus ran a digit over his child's chassis, over the seam there the chassis plates split, and the plates separated to reveal the spark. He remembered the difference between mech and femme depending on the shade of blue._

"_It's a femme we've got…" Optimus said tensed by the clump within his throat, thin lines of tears getting to fill as he saw the deep shade of dark blue on the pulsing spark. _

_A femme. A beautiful daughter they'd lost for good. A daughter they will never see growing up…_

_But then… a small hiccupping sound approached their audio sensors._

_The sparkling's chassis plates were moving as she was breathing, though it was not possible. Suddenly as it happened, Optimus knew exactly what he must do. He cradled the femmeling so she was on her abdomen, rubbing quickly on her back strut. The reward was a coughing noise as the femmeling ejected fluid from its intakes, and a puppy cry echoed loud in the bunker. The most beautiful sound he and Arcee had ever heard._

_Thin streams of tears flowed downwards the Autobot commander's face plates as he offered the femmeling to its carrier, and when Arcee got her long-waited child into her arms, he couldn't help himself to sweeping his arms around her in a huge, yet gentle hug and cried. _

_Finally, after almost five solar cycles of labor, they'd become a family. Although in the worst time to bring a new life when the Great War was at its extreme intensity, and that made him worried for their future. Though, he had no time to think other thoughts than enjoying the miracle he'd just witnessed. _

_The loud cries died down to soft yelp-like whimpers as the femmeling tried to open up her optics but wasn't used for light, her jerking and helpless limps wasn't used for such liberation. None of the newly creators paid mind to the sticky fluids on their sparkling. Arcee clutched her little femme closer into her chassis, letting her hear her pulsing spark and not caring how sticky wet she got between her legs and chassis by the birth fluids._

_At same time the Autobot commander released of Arcee, looking down on the femmeling as he rose up a hand and caressed over the scalp. Then he looked on the umbilical line that was still attached. Pulling out his sword on right hand as he very gently grasped the line with only his thumb, point and long digits on the other hand and squeezed it tightly. Then he cut it off. Surprisingly the little one didn't cry._

_The azure blue femme had opened up both her chassis plates, revealing the thick feeding tubes full with sparkling Energon inside her chassis internals. For some kind of instinct, her child grasped the internals as the little one tried to crawl towards the feeding tube on right side. She was quick to disconnect a feeding line and rubbed it over her daughter's lips. The little one quickly latched the end of the line and began feeding at fast pace, but did slow down with the suckling. She raised a tiny hand, laying it on the feeding tube and pressed on it to get more Energon._

_Arcee leaned against the wall, cradling her sparkling closer into her chassis with one arm and gently held the tiny head with her hand. Optimus seated next to them, he held his watchful gaze as he caressed on the little femmeling's furry back smoothly. _

_As the minutes ticked by, Arcee found herself seized with protectiveness on a level she'd never had for any other sentient being. She felt an odd feeling within her spark that refused to leave, couldn't tell the difference but then it vanished away as she felt an outpouring of love. The little one opened up its ice-blue optics, blinking a little bit as she felt in turn her carrier's emotions through their newly created bond. _

'_I will never leave you, my child. I will always protect you, and I will eternally love you. That I swear upon my spark.' Arcee said through the bond._

* * *

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Yes, Prime… I'm absolutely sure."

The two Autobots were standing on the cliff there the grave of Cliffjumper stood, total alone under the twilight sky as the last sun lights disappeared through the canyon. Stars had already begun to appear when the Autobot commander stood close into the azure blue femme, looking her down as he listened in patience while Arcee continued:

"I knew the moment when I saw her optics…" She looked over the canyon, seemed ignoring Optimus. Though he knew she didn't. He was surprisingly quiet, as if it was forbidden to speak even a word for him. He remained quiet. "…that it was her."

The tone in her voice sounded heavy in guilt. Optimus recognized the tone. The tone of regretting.

Since the event in Alaska, he had noticed how much the femme had changed. She became more silent, more alone than before. He noticed how she avoided the other mechs in the base, choosing drive on her own, though she allowed only her human partner to join her but never telling him anything about it. He knew what was going on with her. She was not herself.

Neither was he himself too. Since he saw the wolf femme, he felt a feeling within his spark, refusing to leave him be alone. He then began to wonder why when it suddenly hit him. The wolf femme… he recognized her. It was Snowy.

"…It still can't be possible," Arcee kept talking, yet not taking a backward look over her shoulder. "I thought… I thought we lost Snowy back in the Great War…"

He felt how much he wanted to tell her. How much he'd regretted over he never saved his adopted child, how much he missed his child and how much hope he'd carried within his spark to believe that Snowy was still alive. He felt how his spark pulsed hard under the protected chamber, beating against the walls as if it wanted to be released. He wanted so much to tell her.

"Arcee…" He then took the chance to speak up, which it did force the femme to turn her head over her shoulder and look backward. "I'd always believed, and hoped, our child was still alive."

He wasn't prepared when he saw the sudden changed look on Arcee's face. He felt how his massive shoulders jerked, and he immediately regretted over his words.

"You… You were there when our daughter got killed! **By Megatron!**" She roared as she shredded tears. He'd seen her angry many times before, but this time it was whole different. He stood still as he watched an emotional Arcee coming towards him like a messy thundercloud, yelling right at him with tears pouring out. "You saw her die in front of you! **You failed to save Snowy!**"

"Arcee…"

"**Enough!** **I don't want hear your excuses anymore!**"

Optimus felt how he suddenly became angry inside. Very angry and very betrayed as his feelings suddenly got awaken.

"**Do you have any idea how much I had regretted?!**" He suddenly yelled at the femme, which put her instantly in tensed silence. "**Do you have any idea how much I missed our child?!**"

Dead silence. None of them moved a muscle cable nor spoken a word. Tears kept flowing downwards aside Arcee's cheek plates to the chin while the silence between them hanged under a long moment, feeling like it would last long if left unbroken. Memories they'd shared and carried flashed in front of their optics, remembering them how much hope they had once disappeared. Then they had to realize the bitter truth.

_Their daughter was gone forever. Dead. Killed. Never saved._

"I'm… I'm so sorry…" it was Optimus who broke the silence, did calm down after his yell but left nothing else but a painful grief he carried through the centuries.

"No, Optimus…" Arcee denied with a shook on her head, had difficult to breathe. She rose up a hand, placing it over her mouth as she turned her back against the Autobot commander. She wasn't prepared when two large arms wrapped around her, pulled close in his arms as Optimus laid his head behind her neck, then he carefully lifted her. He hugged her tightly.

"Arcee… I didn't recognize her until I saw through her optics," he whispered behind her audio, his breath touched her like a warm, smooth touch that helped her to stop crying. And it did make her feel more... warm. The warm feeling helped her to feel little better at least. "When I realized it was her… I couldn't believe in it. Snowy has grown, Arcee."

"I know. She has grown much. She's so beautiful. Snowy's full grown now."

"Yes, full grown… which we've missed to witness. I can still remember when I held her in my hands first time. So tiny…"

"Yeah, even if she was a trouble maker and so stubborn one too."

"Huh, you still call her trouble maker?"

"Yes, Prime. Yes."

Memories came inside Optimus' processor. He remembered the moments when he felt the tiny kicks, listening the fast-beating sparkbeats and stroking the half-swollen abdomen, especially the first time. Still… there was something that had followed his processor for a very long time.

"Arcee... can you tell me about how you got sparked?" He gave the question that frightened her, slowly and gently turned Arcee around in his arms and their face plates met. "Tell me exactly how you got sparked, please."

The azure blue femme fell into silence, a thoughtful frown shaped on her face plates as she removed herself from her commander's arms, then turning her back against him. The silence made him feel uncomfortable, wondering if he shouldn't had said that. He remembered the cycle when he and his old friend Ratchet discovered the shocking news about Arcee was carrying. However, he or any of his comrades never got to know who the real sire was. Neither was he lucky to get the slightest clue.

"Snowy came inside a pod from outer space, Prime…" Then he heard her voice as she began telling, watching how she slowly walked towards the grave of Cliffjumper. He followed slowly after her, though he allowed her to take five steps ahead of him. "I saw her pod falling from outer space. It crashed outside Iacon. I remember I headed to the place alone…"

A pause. Optimus was as closest behind, though only three steps from Arcee, listening in patience.

"... I remember I saw a light glowing when I found the pod. I didn't know what it was at first until I opened it up… Inside..."

Another pause. He could hear small sniffles from her, yet didn't say anything.

"…Inside I found a spark. A newly created spark."

_A newly spark? But that's impossible, _he wondered surprised when he heard her saying it under the sniffles. He knew it was impossible. A new spark can only be created between Cybertronians. The pause lasted longer as the femme took her time to sniffle, letting her be alone as Optimus remained silent.

"Somehow, my chassis suddenly opened up by itself. It happened so fast that I couldn't act in time… by then, what I can tell you, the spark planted inside my own spark and after that everything went black. That's how I got sparked." When Arcee finished, she had turned around and shot her gaze at him.

Somehow, the Autobot commander was speechless. Wasn't sure what he shall answer for her. He listened carefully in patience, very precisely, and yet he couldn't say. Many thoughts twisted like whirling water that would take long time to think them all, and he had no time to think them all as he had to answer soon or later.

After a long, thoughtful moment, he finally decided to spoke up. "Arcee, if you're saying our daughter came from space… where did she come from then?"

A slight head shake from Arcee, who stared him when he walked towards her, kneeling down. "I don't know. We can only speculate that. Maybe one day we will find out who she really is…"

"Maybe..."

"Prime, do you think she's alright?"

"I hope so. We will find her. I swear upon my spark."

* * *

_How could this be possible?_

The thought twisted wildly inside the old medic's processor. He'd tested the sample with the red Energon, and when he first got the results, he didn't believe what he just had found. Ten tests later, same result came back. Ratchet had it hard to believe in it, and convincing himself.

_How shall I explain to Optimus?, _he thought, frowning as the thought continued its twisting.

He held the sample in his right hand and stared on the red Energon. He had tested it before, a very long time ago, and which really shocked him indeed. The Energon was nothing he had seen before. He can still remember when he discovered its uniqueness. It was half Energon, half organic blood that only one had in its veins.

_Snowy..._, he then understood the truth. Snowy was still alive. _If you are still alive, Snowy… then please stay alive for us and come back._

* * *

Not only was Ratchet thoughtful under the night.

_::Bulkhead::,_ Bumblebee used the com-link. He was lying on his back in his berth, glaring at the ceiling. He had been thoughtful whole day, thinking nothing else but… _her._ It made him feeling restless, almost worried by thinking much that it made hard for him to recharge.

_::What's wrong, Bee?:: _A tired answer came, which he couldn't help to chuckle.

_::Have you been thinking?::_

_::Thinking about what?::_

_::About… the wolf femme we faced in Alaska. Have you had thoughts?::_

_::Yes… I've had some. Don't ya think she's recognizable?::_

_::Yes, I do. I recognized her once I saw her optics. It is really her, Bulk::_

_::True. I've missed her a lot::_

_::I hope we find her soon::_

_::Me too, Bee. Me too::_

* * *

Oh my... Sounds like the Autobots still remembers Ammy, though not knowing the truth about her. I wonder what will happens next... maybe we'll see Miko and Zentsumaru? Or Ammy perhaps? I'm not sure which I want to choose. Whatever... let's see what happens next.

Also, I have my own view of Cybertronian pregnancy. So if it bothers you, then don't waste your time to get pissed. All people has their own views about all things, what matters is to accept we are all different and have the right to think, see and believe on different things.


End file.
